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Thread: Scientifically testing the removal of Zinc via Sulfur Fluxing

  1. #21
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    I have found that sulfur & copper sulfide do pull out zinc but they also pull out tin .

    I prefer using copper sulfide (root killer) because it adds a little copper to the melt which makes the boolits more elastomeric

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    I shot 99% Pb 1% Zn in 40sw, no problem, they even looked good. Sulfur is a hardener, slight to Pb but much better with some Sb. Sulfur will take Cu & Sn out of alloy. Works similar to As.
    Whatever!

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Conditor22 View Post
    I have found that sulfur & copper sulfide do pull out zinc but they also pull out tin .

    I prefer using copper sulfide (root killer) because it adds a little copper to the melt which makes the boolits more elastomeric
    I believe you are referring to copper SULFATE, CuSO4(H2O)x, where x can range from 0 to 5.........a root killer readily available in the plumbing departments of any hardware and big box store. It definitely removes Zn, is relatively safe, and does not create clouds of toxic smoke and fumes. I have used it in the past to successfully remove Zn ( and Sb and Sn also!) from an alloy. You end up with almost pure Pb.

    It's blue color is from the H2O locked in it and as it cooks, it will turn it's natural white.

    Best way to remove Zn from your mix is to take necessary steps to NOT GET IT in there in the 1st place. But as I stated above, up to 5% will hurt nothing.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr3wcifer View Post
    Take a breather, I asked an honest question. You said in your initial comment that you weren't sure it contained zinc, but you fluxed with sulfur anyway, so I was honestly wondering why...

    I offered a reasonable test of whether zinc could be removed from a lead alloy with sulfur with measurements and reproducible tests. I recorded and posted it so that people could potentially learn something helpful about whether or not sulfur is something worth trying. My data showed that sulfur can remove zinc. You came into this discussion with your story about how you tried it once on an alloy that may or may not have had zinc in it and it was "BAD BAD BAD BAD." You offered nothing to the discussion other than an unhelpful personal story about why you don't like it. But you ended with a comment about how an XRF study of the alloy showed no zinc...

    If you would like to contribute something helpful to the discussion, feel free. Otherwise, please ignore this post.
    If I can help someone realize the danger in breathing the fumes, has that helped?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check